I led a Lehigh Valley Audubon Society bird walk at the Martins Creek Nature Trail. It had rained the night before. The weatherman predicted there would be a break in the rain in the morning, and it turned out to be just long enough to get the walk in. I was hoping the weather would ground some migrants, but it was pretty quiet. We did end up with 40 species that included Common Merganser, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed and Warbling Vireo, Tree Swallow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Wood Thrush, American Goldfinch, White-throated and Field Sparrow, Baltimore and Orchard Oriole, Indigo Bunting, and warblers that included Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, and Blue-winged, Black-and-white, Yellow and Yellow-rumped Warbler.
The best sighting of the day was a group of 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls that were seen flying upriver. I got a long enough look at these birds to determine that they were Lessers by the dark underwings and tail bands and size and shape. Most, if not all of them were young birds. They steadily flew upriver and got behind the trees before I could even try to attempt a photo.
After the walk, I headed over to the Martins Creek Environmental Preserve. A lingering Snow Goose, 2 Green-winged Teal, and a Double-crested Cormorant were present.
Now raining, I stopped to check the Nazareth Quarry for any 'fallout' birds, but there were only 4 Double-crested Cormorants and a Ruddy Duck there.
Five Solitary Sandpipers were feeding in the grassy Newburg Road retention pond next to Koch Toyota.
Sunday, May 4, 2025
Saturday, May 3, 2025
National Park Drive and Kirkridge ~ May 3, 2025
Before birding National Park Drive, I stopped at Lake Minsi where I crossed paths with Adam Miller. He said he was heading to National Park Drive, too, so I eventually caught up with him and we birded together from there. One of the overgrown fields had a singing Blue-winged Warbler in it.
The perimeter of one of the grassy fields produced 3 'fly-by' Great Blue Herons and a Bald Eagle, plus warblers that included Northern Parula, Common Yellowthroat, Black-and-white, and Yellow Warbler.
Along the way, Adam Smith and his son, Owen, showed up while we were checking out some treetop migrants, which included Red-eyed Vireo, Swainson's Thrush, Scarlet Tanager, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and a Cape May Warbler.
We all parked and walked the old trail back to the homestead to see if the Swainson's Warbler that Mike Schall photographed yesterday was still there. Birds found along the trail included Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Wood Thrush, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, and warblers comprised of Ovenbird, Hooded, Nashville, Magnolia, Worm-eating, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, American Redstart, and Louisiana Waterthrush.
The was no sign of the Swainson's Warbler when we got to the spot. We spent a while listening for its loud call that never happened. Adam and Owen Smith had to head back, and I also decided to head back a little later while Adam and a Bucks County birder continued on. I added Eastern Bluebird and more of the day's 29 White-throated Sparrows farther down the road.
I drove up to Kirkridge and birded that area. There, I found a Great Crested Flycatcher, a Yellow-throated Vireo, a Scarlet Tanager, an Ovenbird, a Worm-eating Warbler, and 2 Cerulean Warblers.
The perimeter of one of the grassy fields produced 3 'fly-by' Great Blue Herons and a Bald Eagle, plus warblers that included Northern Parula, Common Yellowthroat, Black-and-white, and Yellow Warbler.
Along the way, Adam Smith and his son, Owen, showed up while we were checking out some treetop migrants, which included Red-eyed Vireo, Swainson's Thrush, Scarlet Tanager, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and a Cape May Warbler.
We all parked and walked the old trail back to the homestead to see if the Swainson's Warbler that Mike Schall photographed yesterday was still there. Birds found along the trail included Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Wood Thrush, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, and warblers comprised of Ovenbird, Hooded, Nashville, Magnolia, Worm-eating, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, American Redstart, and Louisiana Waterthrush.
The was no sign of the Swainson's Warbler when we got to the spot. We spent a while listening for its loud call that never happened. Adam and Owen Smith had to head back, and I also decided to head back a little later while Adam and a Bucks County birder continued on. I added Eastern Bluebird and more of the day's 29 White-throated Sparrows farther down the road.
I drove up to Kirkridge and birded that area. There, I found a Great Crested Flycatcher, a Yellow-throated Vireo, a Scarlet Tanager, an Ovenbird, a Worm-eating Warbler, and 2 Cerulean Warblers.
Friday, May 2, 2025
Jacobsburg State Park Once Again and Hollo Road ~ May 2, 2025
I once again birded Jacobsburg State Park. The day started off with an unusual sighting. I parked at the Boulton parking lot and was grabbing my gear from the passenger seat when I heard some scratching noise to my left. There, perched on my driver's-side mirror was an adult male Rose-breasted Grosbeak! I tried to get out my cell phone and take a photo, but it took off and headed into the nearby brush before I could do that.
As I was getting out of the car, I was told by a worker that they were going to be painting the lines in the parking lot, so I drove over to the Henry's Woods parking lot and started my usual loop from there. In the wooded section before reaching the open field area, I found Great Crested Flycatcher, Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Wood Thrush, Eastern Towhee, Baltimore Oriole, Ovenbird, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Parula, and Scarlet Tanager.
The field area produced a 'fly-over' Bald Eagle, plus American Kestrel, Northern House Wren, Field Sparrow, American Redstart, and Yellow Warbler. Soon after, I ran into Guy de Bruyn and we birded the wooded section down to the footbridge. Along the way, we found Least Flycatcher, which thankfully gave its "che-bek" call to confirm its identity, and warblers that included Black-and-white, Yellow-rumped, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue, and Black-throated Green.
At the footbridge, Guy spotted a Northern Waterthrush feeding in a muddy area along the creek.
Guy headed for his car at the Boulton lot and I headed back towards Henry's Woods. From the main footbridge, I spotted a Spotted Sandpiper, a Green Heron, an Eastern Phoebe, and a Warbling Vireo. The area across the road from the parking lot produced a Louisiana Waterthrush, 3 Solitary Sandpipers, and a Broad-winged Hawk.
The area near the visitor center held Brown Thrasher and Blue-winged Warbler. I also ended up with the impressive counts of 86 Blue Jays and 26 Gray Catbirds.
A stop at the Hollo Road retention pond on the way home yielded 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, 14 Solitary Sandpipers, a Spotted Sandpiper, and a Least Sandpiper.
As I was getting out of the car, I was told by a worker that they were going to be painting the lines in the parking lot, so I drove over to the Henry's Woods parking lot and started my usual loop from there. In the wooded section before reaching the open field area, I found Great Crested Flycatcher, Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Wood Thrush, Eastern Towhee, Baltimore Oriole, Ovenbird, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Parula, and Scarlet Tanager.
The field area produced a 'fly-over' Bald Eagle, plus American Kestrel, Northern House Wren, Field Sparrow, American Redstart, and Yellow Warbler. Soon after, I ran into Guy de Bruyn and we birded the wooded section down to the footbridge. Along the way, we found Least Flycatcher, which thankfully gave its "che-bek" call to confirm its identity, and warblers that included Black-and-white, Yellow-rumped, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue, and Black-throated Green.
At the footbridge, Guy spotted a Northern Waterthrush feeding in a muddy area along the creek.
Guy headed for his car at the Boulton lot and I headed back towards Henry's Woods. From the main footbridge, I spotted a Spotted Sandpiper, a Green Heron, an Eastern Phoebe, and a Warbling Vireo. The area across the road from the parking lot produced a Louisiana Waterthrush, 3 Solitary Sandpipers, and a Broad-winged Hawk.
The area near the visitor center held Brown Thrasher and Blue-winged Warbler. I also ended up with the impressive counts of 86 Blue Jays and 26 Gray Catbirds.
A stop at the Hollo Road retention pond on the way home yielded 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, 14 Solitary Sandpipers, a Spotted Sandpiper, and a Least Sandpiper.
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Jacobsburg State Park ~ May 1, 2025
This morning, I parked at the Boulton parking lot and started my usual loop from there. Just before reaching the footbridge, I came across a group of White-throated Sparrows feeding along the path and noted something white in among them. I got on it with binoculars and realized that it was a leucistic White-throated Sparrow! Luckily, I got some photos of it before it disappeared into the brush.
Farther along, I got some photos of a Wood Thrush and an Ovenbird, followed by my first-of-the-year Veery.
Atop the hill, I found a Great Crested Flycatcher, 3 Blue-headed Vireos, a Yellow-throated Vireo, a Chestnut-sided Warbler, a Black-throated Green and 2 Black-throated Blue Warblers, many of the day's count of 16 Baltimore Orioles, and 3 Indigo Buntings.
A Brown Thrasher posed nicely along the path by the new powerlines.
A Louisiana Waterthrush sang loudly along the creek across the road from the visitor center.
A Green Heron was fishing in the creek just below the footbridge by the Herny's Woods parking lot.
Other birds comprised of the 55 species included 2 Wood Ducks, a Common Merganser, a Great Blue Heron, 2 Broad-winged Hawks, a Belted Kingfisher, 2 Eastern Phoebes, Tree, Barn, and Northern Rough-winged Swallows, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 3 Northern House Wrens, 27 Gray Catbirds, 4 American Goldfinches, 7 Field Sparrows, 5 Eastern Towhees, 4 Common Yellowthroats, 2 Black-and-white Warblers, a Blue-winged Warbler, and a Yellow Warbler among 57 White-throated Sparrows.
The Hollo Road retention pond contained 9 Solitary Sandpipers and a Green Heron plus a nearby Yellow Warbler.
The Newburg Road retention pond held a Greater Yellowlegs and a Killdeer.
Farther along, I got some photos of a Wood Thrush and an Ovenbird, followed by my first-of-the-year Veery.
Atop the hill, I found a Great Crested Flycatcher, 3 Blue-headed Vireos, a Yellow-throated Vireo, a Chestnut-sided Warbler, a Black-throated Green and 2 Black-throated Blue Warblers, many of the day's count of 16 Baltimore Orioles, and 3 Indigo Buntings.
A Brown Thrasher posed nicely along the path by the new powerlines.
A Louisiana Waterthrush sang loudly along the creek across the road from the visitor center.
A Green Heron was fishing in the creek just below the footbridge by the Herny's Woods parking lot.
Other birds comprised of the 55 species included 2 Wood Ducks, a Common Merganser, a Great Blue Heron, 2 Broad-winged Hawks, a Belted Kingfisher, 2 Eastern Phoebes, Tree, Barn, and Northern Rough-winged Swallows, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 3 Northern House Wrens, 27 Gray Catbirds, 4 American Goldfinches, 7 Field Sparrows, 5 Eastern Towhees, 4 Common Yellowthroats, 2 Black-and-white Warblers, a Blue-winged Warbler, and a Yellow Warbler among 57 White-throated Sparrows.
The Hollo Road retention pond contained 9 Solitary Sandpipers and a Green Heron plus a nearby Yellow Warbler.
The Newburg Road retention pond held a Greater Yellowlegs and a Killdeer.
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